Top Soldier Pursued by a Beauty

"Disciple of the Third Elder?"

Ouyang Hong cast a sinister, sidelong glance at Mu Yu. "Third Elder, no wonder you have a problem with my methods. So it was you who let Zhao Dong in?"

"Insolence! Ouyang Hong, don't you dare make such slanderous accusations!" Flustered and exasperated, Mu Yu shot to her feet and rebuked him, "I don't even know this Zhao Dong!"

"Go!" Mu Yu turned to the disciple in black and commanded, "Fetch Qing Yu for me. I want to ask her personally what this is all about!"

"Yes!" The disciple in black left at once.

A short while later, a terrified Qing Yu was brought in.

"Qing Yu! Why did you bring that Zhao Dong into our Blood Sect!?" Mu Yu demanded, stepping forward with furious eyes.

On her way there, Qing Yu had already heard what had happened and now understood the full story behind Zhao Dong's rampage. Her heart ached. She had thought Zhao Dong came to the Blood Sect with her. Who could have imagined he was actually here to save Xu Yafei? But after the initial sting of disappointment, her admiration for him only grew stronger. He truly is a man of great passion and loyalty! To risk everything and fight to the death for his woman! It's a shame I'm not Xu Yafei...

Qing Yu collected herself and bowed her head. "Master, I brought the senior into the sect because he is a three-star Alchemist. I merely wanted to introduce him to you. I had no other intention, I swear!"

An Alchemist? A three-star Alchemist, at that? Mu Yu was stunned.

Ouyang Hong sneered, "What a joke! Qing Yu, do you have any idea what a three-star Alchemist even is? In our entire sect, Elder Mu Yu is the most accomplished in the Alchemy Dao, yet even she is only a three-star. And you're claiming that young brat is also a three-star Alchemist? Don't make me laugh!"

Hearing this, the other elders chimed in with their own mockery.

"A brat who's still wet behind the ears? Even if he can dabble in alchemy, his skills would be mediocre at best. How could he possibly be a three-star Alchemist?"

"Heh, talk is cheap. It's obvious this Qing Yu has been bewitched by that Zhao Dong!"

"Qing Yu, do you have any proof for these claims?" Mu Yu asked, cutting through the jeers.

Qing Yu hurriedly pulled a Fire Spirit Pill from her pocket and handed it to Mu Yu. "I personally watched the senior refine this Fire Spirit Pill. Only a three-star Alchemist could make a pill like this. This should be enough to prove his identity, right?"

Mu Yu took the pill, and her eyes immediately widened in astonishment. "This is a Fire Spirit Pill! And... the quality is extraordinarily high. Forget a three-star Alchemist, even a four-star would struggle to refine a pill like this!" Mu Yu gasped.

A surge of pride swelled in Qing Yu's heart. That's right! The man I admire could never be ordinary! But... comparable to a four-star Alchemist? Isn't that an exaggeration? Is he really that incredible?

Lost in her excitement, Qing Yu didn't notice the change in Mu Yu's expression.

"Qing Yu! You have truly disappointed me!"

"Master, what... what do you mean?" Qing Yu asked, completely bewildered.

Mu Yu sneered, "If you had produced any other pill, I might have believed you! But this pill had to have come from a four-star Alchemist, and there isn't a single one in the entire Provincial City! If that boy truly possessed such skill, he'd be the guest of honor for a major power. Why would he be reduced to a common burglar, skulking in the shadows?"

Qing Yu grew frantic. "Master, I'm not lying to you! I'm really not!"

"Enough!" Ouyang Hong stepped forward and turned to Mu Yu. "Elder Mu, your disciple has clearly been brainwashed. How do you propose we handle this?"

Punishment? Qing Yu's pretty face went pale with dread, and she looked at her master with pleading eyes.

Mu Yu's heart ached. After all, Qing Yu was one of her own talented, hand-picked disciples. But she had always championed fairness. Now, with everyone watching, Qing Yu had made a grave mistake. How could she possibly shelter her?

Mu Yu averted her gaze and said resolutely, "I was completely unaware of this matter. Elder Ouyang, you may handle it according to the sect's rules!"

"Hahahaha... Elder Mu is as just as they say! In that case..." Ouyang Hong gave the disciple in black a meaningful look. "Colluding with an outsider and plotting against the sect is an offense punishable by death. However, out of respect for the Third Elder, we can spare her life. But while she may escape death, she cannot escape punishment. Cast her into the dungeon to await sentencing!"

Hearing this, both the Third Elder and Qing Yu breathed a sigh of relief.

But Ouyang Hong wasn't finished. "However, this Qing Yu also just dared to deceive us elders. That is a crime in itself! The penalty shall be twenty strokes of the heavy plank!"

Twenty strokes? At these words, Qing Yu collapsed to the ground, paralyzed by fear.

Mu Yu's fists clenched, but in the end, she couldn't bring herself to say a word of protest.

Soon after, the disciple in black stepped forward and held Qing Yu down. The heavy plank, imbued with Spiritual Energy, fell again and again. A miserable scream tore from Qing Yu's throat at the searing pain. By the time the twenty strokes were finished, her back was a mess of torn, bleeding flesh, and she was in too much agony to even stand.

"Take her away!" Ouyang Hong commanded with a wave of his hand.

The disciples in black immediately stepped forward and hauled Qing Yu out. Watching Qing Yu get dragged away, Mu Yu felt an indescribable ache in her heart.

Just then, the same male elder from before spoke up. "Zhao Dong is already locked in the dungeon. Shouldn't we discuss how to deal with him?"

Ouyang Hong sneered. "He trespassed in the Blood Sect and killed our disciples. For such crimes, the only sentence is death!"

"No!" Mu Yu suddenly stood up. "Zhao Dong acted recklessly, but he had his reasons! His crimes are not unforgivable. I suggest we spare his life!"

"Heh, still speaking up for Zhao Dong, Elder Mu?" Ouyang Hong glanced sidelong at her. "His crimes are worthy of death. If you plead for him again, I'll have every reason to believe you're colluding with him!"

"Ridiculous! Whether I'm colluding with him isn't for you to decide!" Mu Yu retorted coldly. When Ouyang Hong had ordered Qing Yu beaten, Mu Yu had barely been able to contain herself. Her commitment to fairness had been the only thing that stayed her hand. But now, she'd be damned if she let Ouyang Hong gloat any further.

Instead of anger, a smile touched Ouyang Hong's lips. "Elder Mu is right. It's not my place to say who you're colluding with. In that case, why don't we ask the Sect Leader to preside over this matter and ensure justice is done?"

As his words fell, several elders rose and stood behind Ouyang Hong.

The color drained from Mu Yu's face.

The male elder from before leaned in and whispered urgently, "Junior Sister, don't be rash! Ouyang Hong is deliberately provoking you! We're not in the right here. If this blows up, the Sect Leader will have no choice but to punish us!"

Finally, Mu Yu gave a bitter smile and sank back into her chair.

Seeing this, a look of utter disdain crossed Ouyang Hong's face. He turned away and declared, "Tomorrow, at noon, we will execute Zhao Dong and avenge our fallen brethren of the Blood Sect!"

...

In a pitch-black dungeon where you couldn't see your hand in front of your face, Zhao Dong sat cross-legged, concentrating on recovering his cultivation.

Just then, THUD!

The heavy door was thrown open.

Before Zhao Dong could even look up, Qing Yu's sobbing voice drifted in.

"Senior... I thought I'd never see you again..."